My desire is like a rippleAlways there, ever presentIn the background of my thoughts

I used to think it was a waveA stormA tsunamiSurely this must be the case, I thoughtBecause every time I noticed itI was swept away

But no, this is not soIts not a tidal waveBut a constant thingSubtle, in the backgroundAlways waiting to spring into mindTo draw me away from presence

See, the huge waves, they are easy to deal withBecause they are obvious, you see them comingThey are huge, you can't miss themDeal with them in a single cutAnd they are gone

But this is differentHard to see and noticeDesire arises in a million tiny waysSo when I give into temptationIts not that I've been swept away by a waveInstead I was slowly sinking for a long timeI just didn't noticeThen suddenly I notice itBut I am already underwaterDrowned

But its OKIll just go to the surface againInto the clear airBeneath an open skyAnd sit in the sun

Profile Picture: "The Foaming Monk"The Chinese characters are Fo (buddha) and Ming (bright). The image is of a student of Buddhism, who, imagining himself to be a monk, and not understanding the true meaning of the words takes the sound of the words literally. Likewise, People on web forums sometime seem to be foaming at the mouth. Original painting by P.Volker /used by permission.